Multiply tissue articles are well-known and can be provided for a variety of use. Most generally multiply tissue articles comprise at least one ply of paper tissue having a majority of cellulosic fibers. Examples of multiply tissue articles include paper handkerchiefs, kitchen towels, and toilet paper. In many cases multiply tissue articles comprise a multiplicity of tissue plies, each of them being of cellulosic nature.
As multiply tissue articles are in most cases intended to be put in contact with human skin, one important characteristic of multiply tissue articles is the softness, more specifically the surface softness. Softness, smoothness and low surface friction are very important characteristics together with bulkiness, thickness, resistance, dry-strength and wet-strength. Each intended use dictates a specific optimum balance between the above properties.
Another important property, related to the multiply nature of such articles is ply bonding force (also called separation force). Separation of the plies in use (also called ply delamination) is often perceived as a negative impairing the quality of the article. Adequate ply bonding is required for maintaining the plies together during the manufacturing, before the use and during the usage of the article.
Ply bonding can be conventionally enhanced by the application of a layer of adhesive between the plies. Also conventionally ply bonding can be promoted by embossing the plies together. Embossing creates interlacing of the fibers (mechanical bonding), and can conventionally enhance the hydrogen-type bonds between the fibers in the embossment sites. In general conventional ply bonding impacts the softness of the multiply tissue: The presence of adhesive and/or the embossments can create zones of stiffness impairing the desired quality of the multiply tissue.
Conventional multiply tissue articles can comprise a softening lotion. The lotion is in many cases present on at least one of the outwardly oriented surfaces of the multiply article. It reduces the surface friction and hence helps deliver softness and smoothness when the article is rubbed against human skin.
The presence of a lotion however renders the risk of delamination more acute. Softening lotions, in most cases, impair the adhesion of the plies to each other and decreases of the effect of many ply bonding means (i.e. embossments or adhesive).
To reduce the risk of delamination, the embossed zones can be physically separated from the lotioned zones. Alternatively, the embossing conditions such as pressure and temperature are carefully selected to minimize delamination.
There is a need for a multiply tissue article that exhibits a high level of softness and smoothness while presenting high bulkiness and while maintaining enhanced tensile strength. Further, there is a need for a multiply tissue article that does not delaminate in use. Moreover, there is a need for a multiply tissue article delivering optimum balances of softness, smoothness, tensile strength, ply bonding, bulkiness and comfort while using less material, for example by comprising a relatively low number of plies of lower basis weight in comparison to similar articles delivering the same range of properties.
There is a need for a multiply tissue article that balances the above properties in order to deliver an enhanced perception by the users.